Process for breaking petroleum emulsions



Patented Feb. 21, 1928. 1,659,998 UNTED STATES PA FFlCE.

EDWARD H. KEISER, OF CLAYTON, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR T WM. S. BAR/NICKEL & GOM- PANY, OF WEBSTER GROVES, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

PROCESS FOR BREAKING PETROLEUM EMULSIONS.

No Drawing. Application filed September 16, 1926. Serial No. 135,996.

This invention relates to the treatment of duction of turkey red oil from olive oil, and emulsions'of mineral oil and water, such as subsequently analyze said material to deterpetrolcum emulsions, for the purpose of sepmine the sulpho-oleic acid content of same. arating the oil from the water. g Thereafter, I mix the said two batches in a Petroleum emulsions are of the water-incertain ratio, and subsequently I partially on oil type and comprise fine droplets of natural saponify said mixture by adding approxioccurring Waters or brines dispersed in a mately 8% of strong ammonia to same. The more or less permanent state throughout the ratio in which said batches are combined oil which constitutes the continuous phase may be varied slightly, but I prefer to com 10 of the emulsion. They are obtained from bine said batches in such a way that the re- 55 producing wells and from the bottoms of sulting compound is composed of the fol.- oil storage tanks and are commonly referred lowing ingredients mixed in approximately to as cut oil, roily oil, emulsified oil the proportions specified:

4 Per cent.

and bottom settlings. 1 t wt 25 One process thathas heretofore been used S i T ta-" 15 o 23 7 extensively for breaking such petroleum o @1 am 32 0 42 emulsions contemplates subjecting the emul- H am 16 t 9 sion to the action of a treating agent conp ff 1 sisting of or containin a modified fatty t 5 0 20 acid, as disclosed in U. patent to William 3 sapoll -"1"" 6 0 75 S. Barnickel, No. 1,467,831, dated September y rocar g e c 5 O 11, 1923. Water I have devised a new rocess for breaking WhileI prefer to use the procedure above or separating such petro eum emulsions that described in producing the compound or is similar to the process described in the said treating agent used in my process, said com- 80 Barnickel patent, in that the treating agent pound can be obtained by the sulphonation which is used contains a modified fatty acid, of a mixture of olive oil and red oil, or it but which is distinguished from the said can be obtained from a synthetic oleic glyc- Barnickel process by the use of a treating eride and red oil, or even from red oil alone.

agent composed of a vcombination of fatty The compound above referred to is soluble 85 constituents, preferably in a partially sain water and is exceptionally eflicient for ponified condition, derived from an oleio treating many kinds of petroleum emulsions, acid-containing body treated in such a manas it contains a substantial amount of soluble ner that the fatty acid contains asubstansulpholeate. It also contains unchanged ole-'- tial quantity of sulpho-oleic acid. ate or isoleate, hydroxystearates and steargo In manufacturing or producing the treatates. These fatty acids are neutralized by ing agent contemplated by my process I pre-v either ammonia, soda, or potash sufiiciently fer to first sulphonate commercial red oil to represent about 40% saponification.. by the procedure employed in preparlng c n; When ammonia is used this would be equiv- 0 dle material or turkey red oil substitutes, 1. al nt to about 2% of ammonia. There are, 5 V e., by subjecting a suitable fatty-material to of course, small amounts of impurities prestreatment with sulphuric acid, and subseent, such as hydrocarbons, sulfates, Water quently'washing the same. Ithen analyze and glycerine. d matelialin the 1151191 manner to e The above described material can be used .45 mine the amount of oleic acid, stearolactone, alone or in combination with a soluble hy-' 10o 'hydroxystearic acrd',etc. In some instances drat with ammonium hydrate or with he Said ater l will contain =sulpholeic ammonium hydrate and a suitable solvent. acid, and in other instances no sulpholeic I In practising my process the treating acid will be present, depen-dingupon the size ag nt or compound above described i of the batch, the ratio of oleic acid to sul-- brought in contact with an emulsion either phuric, the time of contact and the method by introducing the treating agent into a well used to wash the material. in which the petroleum emulsion -is being I, then make up a separate batch of mate produced; introducing the. treating agent rial by sulphonating olive oil by means of into a conduit through which a petroleum sulphuric acid, as is customary in the proemulsion is flowing; introducing the treatno ing agent into a tank in which a petroleum emulsion is stored, or introducing the treating agent into a container that holds sludge obtained from the bottom of an oil storage tank. The treating agent can even be introduced into a producing well in such a way that it can become mixed with Water or oil that is emerging from the ground before said water and oil enter the barrel of the Well pump or the tubingup through whichsaid water and oil flow to the surface of the ground. After any of the various treatments above referred to the emulsion is allowed to stand in a quiescent state at a suitable temperature so as; to permitthe water or brine to separate from the oil, or it may be passed through a variety of apparatus, such as hay tanks, gun barrels, etc. such as are now commonly used for breaking petroleum emulsions. passed through a heating apparatus, av centrifugal or an electrical dehydrator, or an emulsifying device, with or without the addition of water to the emulsion, or it may be subjected to action by a combination of two or more of the devices above referredito.

Having thus described my inventionywhat'v I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

1. A process for breaking or separating petroleum emulsions, characterized by subjecting the emulsion to the action of a" treatof oleic acid bodies.

It may even be je'cting the emulsion to the action of a.

treating agent containing 15% to 25% of stearolactone, approximately 15% to 23% of sulpho-oleic acid, approximately 32% to' 42% oleic acid, and approximately 16% to 9% of hydroxystearic, approximately 6% to 1% of stearic acid, and approximately 16% to 0% of non-fatty material.

4. A process for breaking or separating petroleum emulsions, characterized by subjecting the emulsion to' the action of a treating agent composed of the following ingredients mixed in approximately the proportions specified:

Percent. Stearblactone 15 to 25 Sulpholeic acid l 15 to 23 Oleic acid 32. to 42 Hydroxystearicl 16 to 9 'Stearicacid 6 to 1 Non-saponifi'able 5 .to 0 Hydrocarbons, glycerine etc 6 to 0 Water 5 to 0 EDWARD H. KEISER. 

